Combination motor-vehicle lamp



I l 1,641,750 SePt- 5 1927' l J.'F. FARMER COMBINATION MOTOR VEHICLELAMP Filed Aug. ll, 1925 Patented Sept. 6, 1927.

UNI T ED S FARMER, or INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA COMBINATON MOTOR-VEHICLE LAMP;

Application i'led August 11, 1925. Serial No. 49,593.

,15 'applied to motor-vehicles without requiring lmaterial Ialteration of existing Structures,

and -fwhich -may Kbe safely' used on various vtypes of motor-vehicles.

Another-object is to provide an improved 2,0 electric lamp which shall fbe of such construct-ion as 2to Vcommonly lfurnish ample flight ibroadly on a road, or more vnarrowly when approaching opposing motor-vehicles.

A further object `is to-provide an improved combination of headlights 4which `s'hall have improved efficiency sin proj ecting light rays at various angles relatively tothe line of movement, and whereby safe Opera- 'ftion -'of l=motor-vehicles Vat night may be as- 3 sured. f y With fthe above-mentioned land other ob'- jects lin `vview, the invention consists princi- :pall-yinafcombinationelectrical lamp having a 'main reflector and lamp and a relar`v Itively lsmaller reflector of fnovel form and arrangement, so shielded as to 'prevent `l`strong light beams reflected by it from being 'projected fto the side =of =the sroad traversed `l-by approaching motor-vehicles;v and the :in- 40 -lvention l'consists also further in the novel parts .and Vcombinations thereof, Aand in a combination and arrangement of flampsand *reflectors as Zhereinafter :particularly describedand further definitely claimed.

Referring to the Ldrawings,--Figure'1 is xaSfragmerrtary ltop lp'lan of theforward portionoffa motor-vehicle having the vimproved 'lamps `.which are illustrated `by horizontal :central 'sections thereof; Fig. Y2 is =a. front 5 Vlview ofthe `improved side light reflector v on an enlarged scale; Fig. 3 isa fragmentary front elevation :of a motor-vehicle by which .fthe arrangement of fthe improved lamps is showng Fig. 4 `is a horizontal central longi- F5 4iuidinal:section v0f ithe improved Vside light i :reflector ron fan=enlarged scale; Fig. 5 is a transverse sectionl of ftheimproved lamp Casing; and F ig. 6 is la horizontal 'fragmentary. section on an .enlarged scale showingnieans yfor adjusting and lholding one' of the headlight reflcctors.- v

In lthe different figures `of the drawings similar reference characters indicatel corresponding .elements or features ofnconstru'ction herein .referred to 1n detail.

rlhe invention vcan .be best understood Iby reference to well-known parts of a motorvehicle, particularly fthe forward aXle'l and wheels 2 Aand 3, frame unembers 4 4and 5, -the engine radiator 1.6, and 'suitable .lamp Vstands F and `8 which are shown as 'sulp- ,ported-by thel frame members but obviously Amay be variously supported and shaped accordingly. .For the purposes of fthe lpresent invention. each lamp stand'lhas a saddle 9 on lits top Lto directly ysupporta lamp casing.

- ach' lamp casing 'is designedto be inlvertib'le so that the direction of side light rays ,fmay be changed in a simple imanner, permitting'the .lamps to be 'usedeither on one side'or the opposite side ofthe imotori-vehicle. One @lamp casingcomprises za imain portion A10 'whieh preferably .is cylindrical :andlhas a back portion 11,v the main portion havingboltfholes 12 in its under ,siderand similarv 'holes 1:2 Iin litsopvposite upper side to receivefbo'lts 13 for securing it upon the saddle 9 andpermitting itt-o .be inverted. 1A imain reflector 4 is .ar-- ranged kin `the i forward portion `of the Acasing Vand Vhas `rits front Yportion secured to the casing by means :of -a suitable v.frame v15 which-holds fa suitable lens y1601i thefront fof-.the reflector. The central portion of ithe reflector has a lamp socket 17 to `which fan electric lamp for bulb 18 is connected and `supplied with current through a circuit v19 'connected with `the socket and .extendingv 'through 'a bushing'20 with which the casing back 11 preferably .is provided. 'This structure as, will appear is suited 'for the lefthand flamp, Aand the right-hand lamp is .n'iainlyrsiinilar thereto and comprises a Acasing main portion 10 and -a 4back portion 11 secured` fin place by `means 'o'f bolts 13', a main reflect-or 14 secured in` place by a Isuitable frame 15"*u`1hichholds ,a lens 16 Ain placeythe reflector having a lamp ysocket '17 supportinganv electric lamp 18 that is supplied with current through a circuit19 extending l'through'abushing 20.

Thevcasing 1Y0'has ya side frame 21 vthat is angular relatively to the casing, the rearward portion of the frame being wider than the forward so as to extend out further from the casing than the forward portion of the frame, and the frame has a glass front 22 which preferably is oblong so as to be longer horizontally than vertically, being preferably composed of window glass. In conformity to present road rules requiring driving on the right-hand side of roads, the casing 10 is setr so that the side frame shall be on the inner portion of the casing or towards the .opposite casing 10, the latter having a side frame 21 arranged on the side towards the casing 10 and provided with a front glass 23 which preferably is square in plan or may be circular if desired.

A novel reflector 24 is provided which is arranged partiallyin the casing 10 and partially in the rearward portion of the frame 21, and is suitably supported in place to project a light beam forward approximately in parallelism with the beam projected by the main reflector 14. Preferably the reflector is parabolic and adjustably supported, being provided with a hinge 25 on its outer portion, the hinge being supported on the inner side of the frame 21 adjacent to the glassfront. The reflector may be variously secured to prevent movement when adjusted on its hinge, a screw-threaded adjusting rod 26 preferably being secured to; the back of the reflector and extending through the adjacent portion of the frame, being provided with nuts 27 Vto adjustably secured the rod to the frame.- Preferably the outer portion ofthe reflector adjacent to the hinge has a small llip 28 thereon projecting inwardly. yThe `reflector has an extension 29 on its inner side portion that extends towards the back of the main reflector 14 to reflect light rays laterally through the window glass 22, the lip 28 deflecting light rays towards the extension 29, The reflector is provided in its centralportion with a lamp socket 30 which supports an electric lamp or bulb 31,

Y the reflector having a central opening 32 in which the socket is secured, and the lamp is supplied with current through a flexible circuit-33 that extends out` through the bushing-20.` The reflector 34 which is arranged in the frame 21 has a central lamp socket Y 30 supporting a lamp 31 supplied with current through a flexible circuit 33 extending out through the bushing 20', a `lamp 31l being supported by the socket. The reflector 34 preferably is shallow, having less depth than the reflector 24, so as to not project a strong light beam, being preferred to reflect light rays broadly across the` road and not seriously affect a driver looking into the reflector. Preferably the reflector is ad* justably supported, as by means of a hinge 35 secured to the back ofthe reflector and tothe inner side of the rearward wide portion of the frame 21', and held in position by means of an arin 36 secured to the back of the reflector, a screw-threaded rod 37 suitabl connected to the arm and extending through the back portion of the frame, the wall of the frame preferably having a screw-threaded boss 38 fixed thereto, a lock nut 39 preferably being arranged on the rod. Preferably a coil spring 40 is supported by the. frame and is seated under compression against the arm 3G, when the rod has a simple head on it engaging the opposite side of the arm, so that the rod may readily be turned to adjust the reflected'.V rEhe adjusting devices obviously may be varionslyinodified, as, for example the rod lmay be fixed rigidly to the arm V36 or directly to the reflector and extend through a plain hole in the casing frame and be adj ustably secured in place by nuts on opposite sides ofthe wall of the frame. It should be understood that the side reflectors are not in every case adjustably supported, and that each lamp directions opposite to that indicated ;v ,asl

shown, the rays reflected from the reflector 24 andl its extension being approximately 4 between the broken lines 41 and 42,-the rays from the reflector 34 being approximately between the broken lines 43 and 44. vft will be understood also that the current for the electric lamps may be variously supplied and the circuits vprovided with such switchesas may be desired.

In practical use, the main reflector and the lamp therein commonly illuminate the road ahead of the motor-vehicle but should be switched off upon the approach rof. an opposing driver, the sidel lights beingy mediately switched on, or may be constantly in use to augment the light from the main reflectors and lamps. side lamp 31 are projected suliiciently forward to afford light lfor the driver while the lamp cannot be seen by an'opposing driver, light rays being reflected laterallyv lby` the The rays from the 1;

extension 29 to afford light on the righthand side of the road when making righthand turns. The reflector 34 projects sufficient light rays to the left-hand side of the road to safely permit left-hand turns and also lights the road in front of opposing motor-vehicles, there being no blinding light from the rellector-34 into the eyes of an approaching driver. This arrangement permits safe driving at night at reasonable speed and without annoyance to other drivers.

/Vhat is claimed as new is: Y

1. A combination motor-vehicle lamp including a main reflector and a parabolic side reflector arranged to project light beams forwardly approximately in parallelism, the

side reflector having a longitudinally curved extension on and integral with its inner' side terminating behind the main reflector to reflect diffused light rays forwardly horizontally and having also an inwardly-extending relatively short lip on its horizontally opposite side to deflect light rays towards the end of the reflector extension.

2. In a motor-vehicle lamp` a refiector comprising a parabolic portion and a longitudinally curved extension integral with one portion of the edge of' the parabolic portion, the extension being curved transversely, and a relatively small lip on the opposite portion of the edge of the parabolic reflector' integral therewith and projecting obtusely towards the end of the extension.

3. In a motor-vehicle lamp, the combination of a casing with a side window frame,

the normally rearward portion of the frame being broader than the forward portion, a parabolic reflector arranged partially in the casing and having a longitudinally curved extension integral with the edge thereof and located in the casing, the opposite portion of the reflector being in the frame and having a lip on its edge extending obliquely towards the end of the extension, a hinge secured to the inner side of the'rearward portion of the frame and connected to the reflector adjacent to said lip, an arm secured to the back of' the reflector, and an adjusting screw connected to said arm and to the v rearward portion of said frame.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature on the 7 th day of August, 1925.

JOHN F.- FARMER. 

